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Hallowed Scars: Initium
Banished to the Monastery of Astoria by a fearful father, 19-year-old Lia believes her exile is a last-ditch effort to cure her unsettling visions. She soon discovers this remote fortress is no sanctuary but a purgatory for fallen angels seeking redemption, where celestial laws are enforced with brutal precision.
Haunted by a past that is not her own and stalked by shadows that whisper her name, Lia is torn between two formidable Ezra, a dangerously charming outcast, offers a reckless alliance that ignites a forbidden desire and Maliel, a warrior bound by rigid duty, that sees her as the key to a catastrophic truth.
As a malevolent ancient order resurfaces, the terrifying power within Lia awakens. To survive, she must unravel the monastery’s secrets, before she becomes the final weapon in a war against heaven and hell.
Hallowed Initium launches the Apocastasis series, a dark fantasy of faith, corruption, and forbidden love between unrightous fallen and those destined to bow.
Haunted by a past that is not her own and stalked by shadows that whisper her name, Lia is torn between two formidable Ezra, a dangerously charming outcast, offers a reckless alliance that ignites a forbidden desire and Maliel, a warrior bound by rigid duty, that sees her as the key to a catastrophic truth.
As a malevolent ancient order resurfaces, the terrifying power within Lia awakens. To survive, she must unravel the monastery’s secrets, before she becomes the final weapon in a war against heaven and hell.
Hallowed Initium launches the Apocastasis series, a dark fantasy of faith, corruption, and forbidden love between unrightous fallen and those destined to bow.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 11, 2025
2 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 22, 2025
Dark academia stories are not what I typically read, but I fell in love with the cover and cannot wait to be able to have a physical copy on my shelf!
Jennifer has a beautiful, lyrical prose. I love love love her writing style, and how the secrets in the story are unveiled. I felt drawn into the story and at times as if I was living it—and I couldn’t put it down.
Great book, intense story, highly recommend 🥰
Jennifer has a beautiful, lyrical prose. I love love love her writing style, and how the secrets in the story are unveiled. I felt drawn into the story and at times as if I was living it—and I couldn’t put it down.
Great book, intense story, highly recommend 🥰
January 3, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
I had a really fun time reading this book. Ezra and Malilel are hilariously tortured individuals and honestly deserve a spin-off of their adventures together. I love both of their personalities, but I found myself more drawn to Malilel. There’s something about the mystery surrounding him, and I enjoyed his scenes on the page the most. Whilst I love Ezra and would absolutely not complain, I can already feel myself becoming a Malilel girlie.
Lia is sassy and sharp, and I really loved that about her. The lore in this book made me very happy, especially as I’m a huge fan of fantasy that leans into religious and spiritual elements. There were also some powerful lines throughout, and anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for a good quote.
The imagery and action scenes were well written, easy to picture, and felt grounded and realistic, which really helped immerse me in the story.
The romance had a lot of tension and longing, with a strong “will they, won’t they” dynamic that I enjoyed. I would have loved to see a bit more emotional complexity in this area, but overall the slow-burn elements worked well for me.
In terms of plot, I found it interesting and appreciated the amount of research that clearly went into building the world. The themes of identity and self-discovery were engaging, and I actually liked the fact that we didn’t really know what was going on at times. It made me more intrigued to continue the series and see how everything comes together when the gaps are filled in. It truly felt like we were inside Lia’s mind, discovering things only as she did.
There were a few moments where transitions felt a little abrupt, particularly in the Academy setting, but the foundation that’s been laid is strong. Overall, this book did a great job of building intrigue and leaving me curious rather than frustrated.
I’m definitely interested in continuing the series and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.
I had a really fun time reading this book. Ezra and Malilel are hilariously tortured individuals and honestly deserve a spin-off of their adventures together. I love both of their personalities, but I found myself more drawn to Malilel. There’s something about the mystery surrounding him, and I enjoyed his scenes on the page the most. Whilst I love Ezra and would absolutely not complain, I can already feel myself becoming a Malilel girlie.
Lia is sassy and sharp, and I really loved that about her. The lore in this book made me very happy, especially as I’m a huge fan of fantasy that leans into religious and spiritual elements. There were also some powerful lines throughout, and anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for a good quote.
The imagery and action scenes were well written, easy to picture, and felt grounded and realistic, which really helped immerse me in the story.
The romance had a lot of tension and longing, with a strong “will they, won’t they” dynamic that I enjoyed. I would have loved to see a bit more emotional complexity in this area, but overall the slow-burn elements worked well for me.
In terms of plot, I found it interesting and appreciated the amount of research that clearly went into building the world. The themes of identity and self-discovery were engaging, and I actually liked the fact that we didn’t really know what was going on at times. It made me more intrigued to continue the series and see how everything comes together when the gaps are filled in. It truly felt like we were inside Lia’s mind, discovering things only as she did.
There were a few moments where transitions felt a little abrupt, particularly in the Academy setting, but the foundation that’s been laid is strong. Overall, this book did a great job of building intrigue and leaving me curious rather than frustrated.
I’m definitely interested in continuing the series and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews